same time, young Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy turned down the chance of a new contract and also left. Coming into the club were Martin Petrov, signed on a free transfer from Manchester City and Robbie Blake from manager Owen Coyle's former club Burnley, also on a free transfer. In the middle of July, as the team prepared to fly to the United States for their pre season tour, the club agreed a season long loan deal with Wigan Athletic for second choice goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi. Later in the month, Spain under-19 international Marcos Alonso signed from Spain's giants Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee. This allowed the club to let long serving defender Nicky Hunt leave on a free transfer to Bristol City three days later. August saw the club sign Croatian international Ivan Klasnić, who had been at the club the previous season on loan, from Nantes after the player had negotiated his release from the French club, as well as young striker Tom Eaves from Oldham Athletic for an undisclosed fee. Eaves had scored a hat trick for Oldham against Bolton in a friendly a fortnight earlier. A day after Eaves was signed, Bolton sold Chris Basham to Premier League new boys Blackpool, again for an undisclosed fee. As the summer transfer window closed, a loan deal with Benfica of Portugal was made to bring young Spanish international Rodrigo to the Reebok Stadium for the season. At the same time, Bolton agreed a mutual termination with Nigerian international Danny Shittu, and he left the club. As the closure of the transfer window does not preclude Premier League clubs loaning players to lower league teams, Danny Ward joined Championship team Coventry City until the New Year, but this was cut short in the middle of October when the player suffered a groin injury and returned to Bolton. Tope Obadeyi was loaned to League Two side Shrewsbury Town for an initial month in mid October and this loan was extended at its conclusion for another month. When the January transfer window opened, Irish international Andy O'Brien, who had been on loan at Championship team Leeds United since the end of October, joined them on a permanent basis. As a replacement, Bolton signed David Wheater from Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee. Riga Mustapha, who had rejected a deal to terminate his contract in September, finally agreed and left the club after